The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-16
HENRY GEORGEISM,

lie originator or the Ere0-LanQ IhcOfy EX-
plains What He Means by 1t.
w. A. Mach. IS Interview with Mr. George.
"What is your idea of Henry Georgeismr he
asked.
l frankly told him that. without knowing
much about it, had been given to understand
that he proposed to take all the land Of the
country and divide it up between mankind.
'How foolish" he sad 'sucn a chimericai
notion. am not going to divide up anything
do not propose to upset any laws or disturb
any titles. My belief is that there is land
enough in every country to support the people
Now propose to have everything in the way of
taxation done away WITH except on land. Yes, it
would even include free rum. 1t you tax only
land, and let the improvements go untaxed,
you do not offer an incentive to either ndividu-
ais or corporations to acquire large tracts Of
land. They would not naturally want more
land than an amount necessary for personal use
Now what makes land valuable9 You go out in
the wids of the West and build palace in the
wilderness. The fact that you have put pal
ace on the land does not add to its value until
contiguous to you other improvements follow.
Then your land increases in value. My plan is
to tax land as it improves, because 1-f the inn
provements put upon it, equal to the rental OF
the improvement AS comprehension of the
PLAZA, / will relate in epitome what l told
David Dudley Field in conversation had with
him on the subject. The State should tax the
soil and the soil only; that, in doing so, it should
consider the soil as it came from the hands OF
the Creator, without anything that man has put
upon it; that all other property lin short, every
thing that man has made) is to be acquired, en-
joyed and transmitted as at present; that the
rate O. annual taxation shall equal the rate OF
annual rental; that the proceeds of the tax shall
be applied, not only to the purpose OF govern
ment, but to any other purpose that the Legis-
lature may deem desirable, even to dividing
them among the people at SO much head.
This is what some call confscation of land to
the state.
But Mr.. Georee,"I said. 'ehow do you pro-
rh4a Of fha
general government under your system2'
''It can be provided for easily The States
could contribute so much each year. say accord
ing to the value of the laud within them.
would, however reduce tho ordinary expenses
of the government to the minimum. l would
have done with the army of ofTice-hoiders made
necessary now to collect the revenues of the
government Do away with all taxation. save
on the value of land, and you sweep OUT Of Office
the battalions now in"
"How would Jon support the army and navy9'
l oueried.
why God bless you," he said, 81 wouldn't
have any army or navy. What government
proposes to interfere with US? We ought to
abolish both organizations. and thus set an ex-
ample to other nations of our civilization. We
are in no danger. l remember when l lived in
California used to strap to my back a revolver
for protection. / didn't need it As a govern
ment, we need no army with guns, or navy,
either / am opposed, likewise. to the appropr-
alton of the revenues of the government to sea-
coast defenses. We are a nation of peace"
"What would you do with the public landsi"
| asked
| II would let the people take them They are
| of no value until they are improved. Give the
| people the lands free gift, and I would not
| tax them at all until by reason Of eontigultv of
| improvement they became of value To again
| revert to my conversation with David Dudley
| Field, he asked me this question: "A man that
| goes into the Western country and takes up land,
paying the government price, and does nothing
4 Tn ha LAM h0 ia he To ha t.yad
| mo this answered Mr. Field: / would tax
| that man as heavily as the man that has taken
1 like amount of land and improved it Our
/ present system is unjust and injurious liz taxing
| the improver and letting the proprietor 60. Set
| tiers take up land. clear it. build houses and
| cultivate crops and for thus adding to the gen.
| eral wealth are Immediately punished by taxing
| away their improvements
"This taxation is escaped by the man that lets
| his land lie idle, and, addition to that be
| is generally taxed less upon tie value of his
land than are those who have made their land
| valuable All over the country land in
use is taxed more heavily than unused land
This is wrong The man that holds land and
| neglects to improve it keeps away somebody
that would, and he ought to pay as much for the
| opportunity he wastes the man that improves
| like opportunity For such reason would
| tax the farmer whose farm is worth 81 900 al
| heavily as would tax the adjoining proprietor
| who. with the same quantity of land. has added
Improvements worth one hundred times 81 900
| The improvements made by the capitalist would
do no harm to the farmer and would benefit tn,
whole community. and l would do nothing t.
discourage them.'